Meimi Tamura is a Japanese actress and singer. She is a former member of the Hello! Project group Angerme.
Early life and background
Meimi Tamura's mother was a Troupe Organizer, and acted at Gunma Prefecture in Japan. Her elder sister, Karen Tamura, was also an actress. Influence from her mother and sister inspired Meimi working to become an actress.
Career
2004–2010: Early acting career
Tamura's first public performance took place in the Concert Tour of Japanese Enka singer Kiyoshi Hikawa, on the stage in Okinawa Convention CenterMarch 27, 2004, as a member of the Dodonpa Kids when she was five years old. At age of 10 she was cast in the 2009 musical Shugo Chara as Yaya Yuiki. After co-starring with then S/mileage members, Yuuka Maeda, Kanon Fukuda and Ayaka Wada in this musical, she became a S/mileage fan herself, and she went to several S/mileage concerts.
2011–2016: Smileage and Angerme
On May 29, 2011, at S/mileage's major debut first anniversary event, producer Tsunku announced that new members will be added to the group and an audition was subsequently held by Up-Front Agency. Tamura, along with approximately 2,000 other contestants attended the first round of the audition held in Shibuya, Tokyo, in June 2011. Tamura was chosen to proceed to the second round with 49 other contestants on July 9, 2011. Only 12 contestants, including Tamura, made it to the third round. The third round last for two days in the form of a training camp, which took place in a remote location two hours away from Tokyo. Contestants had their dancing and vocal abilities assessed by choreographer Yoshiko, vocal coach Mariko Ueno and producer Tsunku. At the end of the third round, Tamura passed the audition with four other contestants. These five girls became S/mileage's sub-members On October 16, Tamura was promoted to official members of the group. With the name changed to ANGERME in 2014, Tamura continued as a main vocalist in the group until she graduated on May 30, 2016.
2016–present: Post-Angerme
On December 13, Tamura auditioned for the role of Annie in Annie the Musical, but was unsuccessful in obtaining the part. On January 22, 2017, Tamura had been cast as Minako Honda on stage play Minako-taiyo ni Natta Utahime, which would run through May 17–21. On February 16, 2017 a media report confirmed that Tamura had left UP-FRONT GROUP and she was currently working as a freelance without a manager. On April 1, Tamura announced she was cast in the Peacepit stage play Grand Guignol, the latest installment in playwright Suemitsu Kenichi's TRUMP series that also includes LILIUM -Lilium Shoujo Junketsu Kageki-. It would run from July 29 to August 20. On May 1, Tamura joined the agency BMI. On September 29, Tamura appeared on TV Asahi's "Kanjani ∞ The Mozart Music King No.1 Decision Fight". On October 15, she performed in the music theater show Funfair. It was revealed on Tamura's official website that she would be holding a limited birthday event on October 29 with two shows, to celebrate her 19th birthday. It was also announced that Tamura will be participating in the stage play Kyo no Hotarubi from November 3 to 26 at the Meijiza, one of the oldest theaters in Japan. On August 21, 2018, a teaser trailer or short version video clip for her first solo release music video was posted on YouTube by Victor Entertainment. From October 10 to October 25, Tamura will perform as Jaquenetta in the Toho's production of Love's Labour's Lost -Koi no Honeorizon-, which is a Japanese version of The Public Theater's 2013 musical adaptation of Shakespeare's Love's Labour's Lost. On June 2020, Meimi Tamura will play the role of Amber Von Tussle in the musical Hairspray.
